Toronto FC is “writing a new story,” general manager Tim Bezbatchenko says.

On Friday, we learned which Reds players next season’s plot line will and won’t contain.

“It begins with our current players,” Bezbatchenko announced, revealing 21 players currently on the roster ahead of 2014.

Former steady hand Stefan Frei is officially gone. Danny Koevermans, too — both victims of major injuries that forced them to lose large portions of 2013, eventually losing their jobs.

Justin Braun, who arrived in Toronto this time last year hoping to extend his MLS career, is out of contract and likely out of the league, having scored just twice over the last three seasons.

Then, there’s uncertainty surrounding a group of players whose options were declined.

Last season’s leading goal scorer, Robert Earnshaw (option declined), could be on the way out after Bright Dike’s mid-season arrival made the Welshman somewhat expendable.

Assuming TFC’s pursuit of both Jermain Defoe and Alberto Gilardino eventually pans out, Earnshaw would seem the odd man out, a player making too much money with limited production in retrospect.

The same goes for Bobby Convey, who was a surprise omission from Friday’s active roster after confidently saying at TFC’s end-of-year press conference he expected to be back in 2014.

Although the former U.S. international still could return to BMO Field in 2014, he’ll likely have to chop his salary in half in order to make his budget number reflect his yearly output.

“We will continue discussing the possibility of returning next season with those players whose options were declined,” Bezbatchenko said, a hint that negotiations could persist.

The odd man out of an over-bloated, uninventive midfield appears to be Darel Russell, whose contract wasn’t extended, according to Friday’s press release.

That leaves Jeremy Hall and Matias Laba, among a plethora of second-year homegrown talent, as Toronto’s two most experienced central midfielders — something the club simply must address if it hopes to provide promised new attackers with any kind of service next season.

“We have not had a solid core group like this in a long time,” Bezbatchenko said, “and this core is prepared and excited about taking this club to the next level.”

It’s not as if it can fall any lower.

But while TFC’s off-field strides — better handling of the salary cap, open Designated Player slots and freed up allocation cash — have the club in a position to succeed, the Reds are still set to enter 2014 with most of the same group that collected just two wins from their final 12 fixtures in 2013, making Toronto’s next three to five signings that much more critical.

It’s a point TFC captain Steven Caldwell made in an exclusive interview with the Toronto Sun on Thursday.

“If we add the quality, two or three league players who have done very well at other MLS clubs, and the two or three extra additions from Europe, DP players and stuff, I feel we’ll be extremely strong from the get-go next season,” he said.

As of now, though, Toronto’s roster is more or less a skeleton of complimentary players who are without a go-to target in the attack and a clever mind in midfield to release top talent up front.

Supporters have been promised those missing links are all but in transit.

It will be a tough pill to swallow if they don’t soon turn up.

BRIEFLY

Richard Eckersley remains on TFC’s active roster at the moment due to his guaranteed deal heading into the 2014 season. However, due to his large salary, the club is expected to use its allotted once-per-season buyout on the English defender, who all but confirmed his departure at the club’s season-ending press conference.